


pink and orange and red, and all mixed together

by fmpsimon



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drabble, F/M, Fluff, tokka - relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 16:47:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7853131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fmpsimon/pseuds/fmpsimon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Years after the end of the war, Sokka prepares to say goodbye to Toph, reveling in this rare moment alone with her.  Tokka fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	pink and orange and red, and all mixed together

            She lay with him under the big sky, in the warm light of the setting sun.  Her hair was down.  She almost never wore it down, and he took the opportunity to run his hand through it.  He twisted a bunch of long, black strands around his finger.  He let go and the curl stayed for a moment, before straightening out again in the breeze.  With a devious smile on his face, he stuck his hand into her hair at the base of her scalp and pushed it up over her head, messing it up on the way.

            "Just because I'm blind, it doesn't mean that you can mess up my hair," she mumbled, irritated.  He smiled again.  Strike one.

            "It looks nice this way," he said, joking, framing her hair around her face.  It was sticking out in every direction.

            "Sokka," she growled.  Strike two.

            "Hey, it's not _my_ fault that you have long hair.  I _need_ to play with it.  It's one of my needs."  He pushed it back, attempting to smooth it out.  Her milky eyes may have conveyed no emotions, but he knew this was strike three.

            She slapped his hands away and went to work on it herself, combing it with her fingers, and pushing it behind her back.  "This is the _last_ time I'm lazy with my hair," she said.  "I may even cut it if—"

            She stopped.  He looked at her, half-smiling.  "If what?"

            Toph turned toward the sky.  "If we're going to keep doing this _dating_ thing."  She said the word as if it was a bad taste in her mouth.

            "Dating, yuck.  Yeah, you're right, this is no fun at all."  He stretched, grinning, and then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer.  She struggled and groaned in protest.  She didn't like anything "mushy", as she called it.  But when he kissed her, she couldn't hide the flush of color to her cheeks or the smile that crept onto her lips.  "Hey, look at that, your face is the same color as the sky."

            She raised her eyebrows.  "My face is blue?" she said incredulously.  "You haven't been painting my face, have you?!"

            He laughed.  "No!  It's sunset!"  She smiled and rested her head against his shoulder.  "It's pretty—it’s all pink and orange and red, and all mixed together."

            "I know what a sunset is, Sokka," she said flatly.

            "I'm just trying to help you visualize it!" he said, extending his arm out toward the expanse of sky.

            "I've been blind since I was born—I don't even know what pink looks like," she smirked.

            "It's girly," he said.  "But it's pretty too.  Like you."  He tucked her loose hair behind her ear and kissed her temple.

            Turning towards him, she put her hands on his face, brushing her thumb over his lip.  "You've got a new scar," she said, her brow furrowed.

            He shrugged.  "Yeah, I had a run in with a fishing hook."

            She smiled.  "What were you trying to do, get the fish off with your mouth?"  She chuckled, then stopped when he didn't respond.  "Wait, you didn't really, did you?"

            "Well," he began.

            "Sokka!  You big, dumb oaf!"  She giggled.  He watched her, pensive.  This is what he wanted to remember when he was back with his tribe.  Her face fell.  "Who's going to keep an eye on you when you go home?"

            "Oh, don't worry," he said, brushing it off.  "Katara will be there.  She's been spending a lot of time there, actually..." he said, narrowing his eyes.

"That's good," she said thoughtfully.  "But I wish you didn't have to go."

            He closed his eyes.  "I wish you could go with me."  These were the times that he was grateful she couldn't see him.  He felt a lump in his throat and rubbed vigorously at his eyes, never one to successfully hide his emotions, even from her.  His duty was to the Southern Water Tribe first, and that's where he was headed.  He didn't know how long he would be gone.  He didn't even want to think about it, because it just meant that he would put words to how long it would be before he'd see Toph again.  "I know you have students and a life here," he began cautiously, "but maybe you could...come visit me?"

            She made a face.  "Sleep in igloos?  On your ice floe?"  He could hear the worry in her voice.  No earth meant she couldn't see.  It would also mean a long trip by boat or airship, neither of which she would enjoy.

            "Igloos can be cozy," he said positively.  "Plus my dad really wants to see you again."

            "Can't he come see me here?" she said, pulling away a little.

            A small sigh escaped his lips, which he knew she heard.  "Dad doesn't travel much anymore.  There's too much to do, rebuilding a nation and all that.  And he needs my help."  He squeezed her shoulder.  "Besides, I think you'd look pretty cute in a sealskin hoodie."

She pushed him away.  "You know how scary that is to me, Sokka!  I can't _see_ on ice."

            "I know," he said gently, taking her hand.  "But I'd be with you.  And I won't let anything happen to you.  Haven't failed you yet, have I?"  He saw the little smile creep onto her face again.

            She pulled her hand away and crossed her arms.  "Well, I can't leave yet."  His eyes lit up and he refrained from squealing.  "If I'm going to be gone a while, I'll need to let my students know that their great earthbending master is going on vacation."

            "Okay, okay, how about this?" he said, excitedly.  "I'll go tomorrow like I planned, and in a few weeks, when you've got everything in order, you can come down."

            "All right, if it'll make you happy."  She couldn't keep the smug smile off of her face.

He leapt up, jumping around, punching the air.  "You're gonna love it there!"  She raised an eyebrow.  "I mean, other than the ice and the cold, and the whole not-seeing thing."  He smiled crookedly at her as he pulled her to her feet.  "You are the best girlfriend ever."

            "Yeah, you'll have to let all of your South Pole girlfriends know I'm coming down," Toph said with an edge to her voice.

            "Hey, I resent that!" he pouted, crossing his arms.

            "You big baby," she said, grabbing his shirt and pulling him down into a kiss.  "Come on," she said, once they had broken apart.  "You can help me pack."

            He scratched his head.  "I thought we agreed you weren't coming for a few weeks?  What about your students?"

            "Are you kidding?"  She turned around to face him.  "I'm not letting you out of my sight."  She grabbed his hand and they started the descent from the cliff, a goofy smile plastered to his face.


End file.
